Takk
by OnWithTheButter
Summary: An unexpected knock at the door ends up being a return to the past. Norway and Iceland brotherly fluff


The soft knocking was a surprise. No one ever knocked anymore. Well, you know, the Dane doesn't even know what knocking is, and the only other unexpected visitors are lost people. If anyone else wanted to visit, they always called first, and it had been, what was it? At least four years since anyone called to visit. No, every time the phone rang it was "How are you, I haven't heard from you in a few days?" or "Would you like to come over for such-and-such?" or "Can I have some money?"

Needless to say, the Norwegian wasn't sure what to expect when he opened the door. Ever since he moved out of the city six years ago, there no longer were the lost tourists to come a'knocking. No one wandered out here to this backwards little village alone.

Well, take too much time pondering the strange occurrence and you'll end up upsetting the visitor for taking time to answer. Taking off and folding his reading glasses, setting them down with the book, he got up and walked quickly yet evenly to the door.

Meeting his eyes was a bent-down figure examining some of the figurines at the doorstep with a tousled head of near-white hair. Immediately after hearing the door creak open, they stood up quickly. His little brother.

"Sæll," Iceland greeted.

Norway tilted his head curiously. He always, _always_ called before visiting. Upon a second glance, he noticed the violet eyes were a little inflamed. The boy was looking up at him expectantly and still silent.

"Come inside," he eventually answered, stepping aside.

Wordlessly, the teen stepped in, hands awkwardly shoved in his pockets. Once Norway had shut the door and turned back around, the boy had moved a little closer and was still watching him with those reddened puppy eyes. He furrowed his brow a little, there was something he wasn't being told, quite possibly the very reason for the out-of-blue arrival at his doorstep.

"To what do I owe this visit? Can I get you something?"

Iceland's gaze finally broke, absently looking away, up and down the walls, along the floorboards, anywhere but his brother's face. "No…" He began to walk, recalling from memory where things were in this house.

Usually, he would already be teasing him, trying to be playful, but not now. He was puzzled, and the boy was obviously upset. If there was one thing he hated, it was to see this one cry. He followed a few, soft steps behind.

Iceland found his way with relative ease to the quaint living room with tall and wide windows to the mountains, making himself at home in a corner of the leather sofa. Placing a throw pillow in his lap, he wrapped his skinny arms around it and leant his chin on top. He cast a sideways glance as Norway sat beside him.

He missed when he could read his brother. He could always read children, but somewhere when he had missed it, the baby grew up into this emotionally guarded ice cube that he could never tell exactly what was going on. He reached out to touch the boy's head, send a signal that he was here, he would listen to him, he would offer a shoulder to cry on, just like it was so long ago.

His expression stiffed at first contact, but just as quickly melted to half-lidded eyes and a little more ease and comfort in the expression. Maybe he wasn't that different after all.

"What happened to us?" came soft whispered words from the Icelander. His voice came out cracked, as if he were still suppressing the tears that had inflamed his eyes previously.

A few, gentle shushes accompanied his wrapping his arms around the boy's head, tenderly pulling him against his chest and rocking him just as he had over a millennium in the past.

The tears flowed freely now. "It wasn't your fault… You messed up…and I messed up, but it wasn't our fault…"

The older blond buried his cheek in the platinum hair, rubbing his brother's back. "You don't have to remember it. You can forget your past."

He sat up again, pulling himself out from under the arms around him. Quietly, his cheeks wet and flushed, eyelashes sticking together, he stared into that kind face that had been there for him through thick and thin, despite the disagreements and rebellion between them in youth, even through sicknesses and both of their darkest hours. He was right, neither of them had to remember what they didn't want to, and when they couldn't help it, they would always have each other. That's what family is for throughout it all, right?

Mimicking the ways of his childhood, he shoved his arms stiffly out for a hug. The older brother smiled, holding his own arms out in similar fashion. Wrapping his arms around the other's neck, even if he was now far too big to be held anymore, he rested his head on his dear big brother's shoulder, wiping off the tears on his collar and smiling himself.

**A/N: Um…this is what happens when I watch my own AMVs…(there's a link to my youtube on my profile here)**

**I dunno, just a oneshot completely off the top of my head**


End file.
